


Breaking Down Lin

by Metalfong



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Badass Lin Beifong, Crime Fighting, F/F, F/M, Minor Violence, Original Character(s), Police, Republic City
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 13:28:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28939263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metalfong/pseuds/Metalfong
Summary: Lin Beifong has always been known as the stoic, hardass, emotionless Chief of Republic City. She’s exceeded expectations within her job, but knowingly lacks in other areas. She befriended Saikhan to make dreary days more bearable, but still felt like something was missing.Crime was beginning to rise in the city and a new class of officers was soon to arrive for their physical tests. Enters Asoku Riu, a fresh recruit from the Earth Kindgom, determined to make a difference in Republic City. Will the team be able to take down the criminals? Or will distractions prove to be too much to handle?
Relationships: Baatar Sr./Suyin Beifong, Bolin/Opal (Avatar), Korra/Asami Sato, Lin Beifong/Original Character(s), Lin Beifong/Original Female Character(s), Pema/Tenzin (Avatar)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25





	1. Welcome

Asoku could see Republic City in the distance from the train just as the sun started to peak over the water. The orange hues mixed carefully with the blue, as night turned to day. She could see the buildings growing larger as the train began to slow down, and came to a screeching halt. Looking around, only 3 passengers stood up to get off at this stop. They were likely other recruits she would see tomorrow. The excitement rose in her chest as she stepped onto the platform and made her way out of the station into the City. Enormous buildings towered over her as she looked up at the sky, taking in the scene. She decided she would get settled and unpack before exploring the enormous city.

Walking as the sun rose, there were few people out on the streets. She could hear the wheels spinning behind her and the crickets in the grass nearby. Every now and then she’d come across a shop keeper preparing to open their store, or a chirping bird flying towards the market. A man with a papaya stand even had to shoo some away with a broom, causing her to chuckle at the sight. 

After walking for 10 minutes Asoku found the tall, tan apartment building and looked down at the creased sheet of paper in her hand. “Corner of Sky Bison and Fire Ferret, number 8C” it read. Confirming she was at the right place in the lobby, she made her way to 8C, turning the key in the freshly painted door. The lock clicked and she pulled her suitcases behind her as she entered the apartment. It was the perfect size for her, a small living room with an area rug, a kitchen, and a bedroom. _Here we are._

_____________________________________

“Ahhh finally everything’s hung up,” Asoku smiled to herself. She spent the past 2 hours putting away her belongings, clothes, and familiarizing herself with her kitchen. There were many cabinets and drawers to store her kitchenware, as she had a passion for cooking. She brought her favorite knife with her that she grew accustomed to using while cooking for her family. Every shirt was hung with care in her closet, and she put hand soaps in the bathroom. She put fresh sheets on her bed and sat on the edge with a tired yawn since she had already been up for several hours. The train ride here had been relaxing, but Asoku was eager to start her life in the city. 

All that was left to put away were a few documents she’d keep in her night table. Satisfied that everything had a place, she headed into her room and put on a pair of workout clothes. It was time for an afternoon jog, probably the last before her physical fitness test at the RCPD.  _ Alright time to push the limits.  _ Asoku did some light stretching and started jogging the moment she exited the building.

She turned to the left towards the market, and decided she’d explore the surrounding area all while trying to successfully complete a 10 mile run. She was hoping to make a mind map of everything she passed, so she’d have a leg up on the other rookies. Knowing the vast city’s ins and outs was extremely important when it came to police work.

Asoku was never the best at endurance running, but before she came to Republic City she trained every night once her family was asleep. At home she made a punching bag out of a flour sack and tired herself out nightly before turning in. She had even found some sparring partners at the academy, and they’d practice weekly. Most of the other benders took their written exams at the same time as Asoku, but many of them did not score as high as she did. They were sent to other cities, and it was sad to see the class broken up but it was for the best. Her closest friend from the academy, Huyan was sent to Omashu. Although they had studied together after sparring sessions, Asoku hit the books every day as she sat inside with her mother. She was determined to make a difference and become an officer in Republic City, under the leadership of the esteemed Chief Beifong. Months of studying and training had lead up to this day. 

As streets, alleys, and people began to zoom by, Asoku steadied her pace and focused ahead. Although she was excited for her fresh start, it was bittersweet. _I wish I could’ve taken mom with me. Though she didn’t want to hold me back._ Halfway through the run she started to break a sweat and passed several small shops and restaurants. She was excited to try the various cuisines the city had to offer. There was no doubt that she would try each and every one in her time as a rookie, putting in extra hours to excel on the force. 

She was coming up on the station and caught a glimpse of a metal bender walking through the doors.  _ I hope I pass  tomorrow _ . Asoku looked at the building in awe imagining all of the arrests and interrogations the Chief herself had made. Pulled from her thoughts Asoku heard her stomach rumbling in protest.  _ Ughh not now.  _ She was approaching mile 8 and began to circle back towards her apartment, which would allow for a lengthy cool down walk. 

The last mile was a bit difficult, but she finally came to a stop and walked to the market. Her feet were dragging in the dirt until she gained back some energy, stomach still growling. Unlike this morning, the market was lively with people of all ages wandering through. There were school aged kids kicking a ball around and weaving through customers, receiving looks of annoyance from some elders. People were dancing and laughing, putting a smile on Asoku’s face. _I think I’m going to like it here_ , she thought with optimism. 

Making her way to the fruit stands, Asoku was greeted by a middle aged man in a red apron. He gave her a toothy smiled and she nodded back. “Haven’t seen you around here before. Where ya from?” he wondered looking into her light green eyes. 

“I actually just got in this morning. I’m moving into an apartment not too far from here,” she answered. 

“Ahh well welcome to Republic City, I hope it’s what you imagined,” he stated as she handed over a few copper pieces for the fruits. Asoku made sure to get some meats, ice, eggs, and rice before heading back to her apartment. Her arms were full as she carefully made her way up the stairs. Pushing the door open with her foot, she set the bag on the counter, and hummed to herself as she put everything away. Lighting the stove with spark rocks, she made herself some eggs and had an apple before sitting on the new couch. 

She finally had time to take in her new living space being less distracted than before. It was pretty bland with a splash of color here and there, but she didn’t plan on being home much anyways. Asoku understood that the hours at the station could be unruly, and she was willing to make small sacrifices. Crime rates were beginning to climb in Republic City, which was why a larger recruitment class was sent here this year. The Chief herself was going to choose her top prospects, and knew she would have to prove herself in the morning if she even hoped to remain in the city. 

_____________________________________

Later in the evening a chill blew into the city, and Asoku grew restless in her apartment.  I can’t sit in here _I’m too nervous and excited! I guess I’ll go on a walk this time_ _._ She crossed the living room to grab her zip up jacket, and thrust her hands into the pockets before stepping out into the cool air. The beautiful moonlight brought a peaceful wave through Asoku’s anxious body. She took a deep breath and continued her walk until she found a flower garden surrounding a pond. 

She sat on a wooden bench looking at the stream, listening to the sound of the water trickling over the rocks.  _ Croaaaak croaaak _ . A smile rose over Asoku’s lips at the strange sound of the frog and she let out a small chuckle. She rested her hand, palm up, on her knee and summoned a small rock into the center. It twirled, the pace gradually increasing, until Asoku crushed it into dirt upon making a fist. She let out a sigh of relief, feeling more relaxed and grounded than she had throughout the day.

The feeling of being free was something Asoku wasn’t used to, and she’d enjoyed her regular routine. She had nowhere to be and no one to take care of all day, leaving her feeling a little lost on this unconventional day. She savored a few more moments listening to the water before walking back, at a slower pace than she came. There were a couple dimly lit paths she came across and wanted to explore, but decided it would be better if she didn’t get lost on her first night. _I’ll come back soon._

Asoku took a deep breath before walking into her apartment and stripping down to take a warm shower. She stepped in, allowing the water to flow over her body, while gently massaging her shoulders. She took her time to lather up with soap, almost in a trance, as she daydreamed about becoming an officer. The lavender soap helped calm her as she watched the bubbles flow down the drain. After washing her golden brown hair, she dried it with a towel before getting dressed in a night shirt for bed.

By now it was nearing 11pm and she knew she needed rest to be in good shape for tomorrow. Asoku decided to set her alarm for 6:30, that way she could be at the station by 7:30, ahead of the other recruits. She was willing to do anything to earn a spot on the RCPD, and she wouldn’t dare be late for the test. “Tomorrow’s gonna be a long day” she mumbled to herself as she laid down. The tan and white covers now rested gently below Asoku’s chin, and her breathing slowed down as she began to drift off into a deep, restful sleep. 


	2. Prepare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I hope you’re staying safe!

_ * beep beep beep _ _*_ “ughhh,” Asoku groaned as she rolled onto her side to turn off her pesky alarm. After taking a moment to prepare herself she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and rubbed her eyes before standing up and stretching out her arms. Asoku wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a pan out of the cabinet and a couple eggs.

She set the toast in the toaster and walked back down the hallway into her room.

_ Hmmm what to wear today? _ Asoku’s long arms reached out opening her closet door, searching for the perfect outfit.  _ Something formal? Casual? No... I guess I should bring workout clothes.  _ She grabbed her backpack off the floor and stuffed a dark grey t-shirt inside along with a pair of blue joggers.

After slipping on black slacks, Asoku put her arms through the sleeves of a green dress shirt, and shrugged her shoulders to bring it higher. She left the buttons open while walking back to the kitchen to grab her toast and proceeded to make eggs while humming. She watched as they slowly cooked, only turning away to put on socks. Once breakfast was done and plated, she sat at the small, round table in the kitchen. A fruit bowl was at the center and she chose a bright red apple for her walk to the station.

Staring off into the distance, Asoku realized she finished her breakfast, leaving only crumbs behind. “7:08,” she read. She approached the sink and quickly washed her dishes with soap before setting them on the rack to dry. Asoku walked to the door to put on her nice pair of shoes, and stuffed the other pair in her bag before slinging it over her shoulder. She buttoned up her shirt before closing the door behind her, beginning the descent down the stairs.

The click-clack of her shoes could be heard on the stone side street as she walked next to the market. The same man in the red apron was there standing in front of the papayas, and gave her a friendly smile and wave as they made eye contact. Asoku waved back to the man, observing his features. The man appeared to be in his 60s, had a finely trimmed white beard, and wispy white hair tied back. His eyes were kind and gentle, and he seemed to be a favorite at the market.

Asoku continued her walk to the precinct taking in the beauty of the quiet morning. The sky was blue with a few clouds here and there. The sun was shinning and reflecting off of the Satomobiles occupying the streets. Off in the distance the station came into view, and Asoku could feel her heart quicken. “It’s almost time. You got this,” she whispered to herself.

Passing an empty bar, a few apartment buildings, and several sky scrapers the doors appeared right in front of her. A piece of paper was hanging in the window, and Asoku inched closer to read it. “Recruits: Meet at the training field on the east side of the building. Register at the table. 8am SHARP.”

Taking a few steps to the left, Asoku could see the table, however, no one was there yet since it was only...  _ 7:32 _ , her watch read. She stood against the wall in the shade, waiting for time to pass. She brought her thumb to her index finger and brushed a few circles over it in a calming manner. Waiting made Asoku grow a little unsettled, until another recruit made his way to the field. He nodded at Asoku and sat down a few feet from where she was standing. 

“So uh... you ready for this,” he questioned rubbing the back of his neck.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she chuckled back. The boy smiled and rose to his feet, extending a hand towards her.

“I’m Gaolo, most people call me Gao ” he stated.

“Asoku, nice to meet you.” She shook his hand and they were interrupted by the sound of a door clicking shut. Out came a woman in business casual clothes with a stack of papers. She sat down at the table and crossed her right ankle over her left, while drawing in her dark blazer over the white shirt. One could guess she was the precincts receptionist, or even the secretary who was put in charge of registration.

“We should go sign in, get it over with,” she suggested looking at Gao. He nodded at her and could see 2 more recruits over her shoulder.

The pair made their way to the woman together. “Good morning guys, just find your name on one of these sheets and sign next to it. You can go change in the locker rooms after. If you need a spare shirt let me know,” she said as she gestured towards a box.

“Thanks Miss,” Asoku replied.

“Oh, here! Write your name on a piece of tape and put it on the front of your shirt,” she explained as she placed a roll of tape and a marker in Gao’s hands.

“Thank you,” he nodded.

They made their ways to their locker rooms and changed into their workout clothes. Asoku kicked off her shoes and unbuttoned her shirt,folding it carefully so that it wouldn’t crease. She draped her shirt over the bench and slipped off her slacks, placing them on top. Another 2 women walked in chattering and changed as well. Asoku now had on her grey shirt and blue pants. She took a seat on the bench and took a deep breath before unzipping her backpack to retrieve more comfortable shoes. Once they were tied, she made her way back into the training fields.

The sunlight was blinding for a moment, and she glanced towards the men’s locker room, spotting Gao taking a drink at the fountain. She walked over to him and took a drink right after he finished.

“Here you go.” He handed her the tape as she turned around, and she ripped a fair sized piece off. She wrote “ _ RIU _ ” in all capital letters just as Gao had written “ _ MING _ ” on his piece.

“So what do you think they’ll start with? Running or sparring,” Asoku questioned.

“I don’t know the Chief has always been a bit... unconventional. I suppose she’ll do her own thing.”

“Good point. I don’t even know how she’s going to cut this class down. Could be based on a lot of different things.”

“We’ll just do our best, that’s all we can do right?” Gao gave her a reassuring smile and the two made their way back towards the table. There was a small line left as 8 o’clock was approaching, but nearly 20 recruits were already sitting along the building and in the field. Many were chattering, but it was also hushed since people were nervous.

Gao sat down placing his arms behind him and stretching out his legs, releasing a sigh. Asoku chose to do some stretching exercises to loosen up her legs prior to the test. She slid her hands down her shins slowly, and touched her toes before standing back upright.

“Looks like you were struggling to reach them,” Gao laughed at her.

“Hey I haven’t always been very flexible. I’d like to see you do it,” she joked. And right as she said that Gao easily stretched over to surpass his toes.

“Spirits, that’s impressive,” she complimented. 

“Thanks, it’s nothing really,” Gao stated with a smirk, ”I’ve got long arms, but that stays between you and me,” he chuckled.

_ Bonggggg _ . The sound of the gong silenced everyone, and they turned their attention towards the registration table. There was now a tall man in a metal bender uniform standing next to the woman.

“Alright recruits, everybody stand up. Form 5 lines,” he ordered. Everybody scrambled and 5 lines were erected, some with 4 and others with 5 standing in them. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, until the man broke the silence. “You can begin stretching or preparing how you need to, the Chief will be here any moment.”

Asoku looked back at Gao, and raised her eyebrows as if to say  Here we go . She was a mix between excited and anxious and the feelings swirled around in her gut. Excited to get the test over with. Excited to begin her career. Yet, anxious that she would manage to fail in front of the Chief.  _ I got this, I’ve been training for a couple years,  _ she reminded herself.

As all of the prospects stretched in their lines Asoku took in the scene before her. The final man fell into place filling the 30th spot, trying to be discreet that he was nearly late. As some were doing arm circles, others were trying to show off with push ups, and some simply sat there.

At 8 o’clock sharp the metal door burst open, and out walked the esteemed Chief of police. Her short, grey hair moved with the breeze and she stood leaning against the table, crossing her arms. If that wasn’t intimidating enough, she was in her metallic armor glaring over at the recruits. Asoku swallowed hard, regaining her composure.  _She definitely won’t be going easy on us_ ,  she observed.

The Chief walked closer to the group with heavy footsteps, but she remained silent. “Many of you traveled from afar to be here, but that’s not enough. You have to prove you’re better than the person next to you, you have to show me you have what it takes to become an officer in my city,” she boomed.

She grinned before starting again, “I know you were told I’d be accepting 20 of you today, but I only want 15.” Looks of surprise were exchanged among the prospects.

“That means you have a 50/50 shot, don’t blow it.” And with that she turned around leaving the group to squirm with worry.  _ Oh shit.  _


	3. Elimination

The Chief waved her hand and a set of stairs appeared in front of her made from earth. They reached about 8 feet high, and at the very top was a platform that stretched several feet across. The lady from the registration table approached the stairs with a stack of papers, and slowly climbed them in her heels. Once she got to the top she nodded at Chief Beifong and two rock chairs were erected, both resembling a recliner. The women sat down and whispered as the prospects were finishing their stretches.

The tall man walked over to the group and everyone stopped what they were doing, eagerly awaiting instructions. “Ok, we’re going to start with the obstacle course. It’s pretty self explanatory. There’s walls you must climb over, targets you must hit, you should be able to do this in your sleep. You may use your bending for some tasks, just try not to trample each other,” he ordered. He placed his hands behind his back before speaking again. “Line up evenly with me, you’ll begin on my signal.”

Asoku walked towards the man and lined up with her fellow recruits. Gao was on her left and was crouched in an athletic stance. The guy on her right was standing with his arms crossed, seemingly in a staring contest with the man giving the instructions. Asoku pulled up her blue pants by the waistband and lowered into a crouch, and others followed suit sensing the signal was about to come. She quickly looked up towards the Chief and  * _Boonnng_ *  the gong rang.

Asoku’s POV

I started with a steady jog and approached the first obstacle. It was a tall wall with 3 thick ropes hanging from it. A few guys and a girl were sprinting ahead of me, trying to quickly scale the wall.  _ Fast start doesn’t mean a strong finish _ _._ As soon as a rope was free I grabbed onto it, pulling myself up alternating my hands. I was nearly sideways using my arms to hold myself up as I progressed upwards with my feet.

The brunette man in front of me bent a rock pillar and descended on top of it to the ground.As I got towards the top I thought of a strategy to get down pretty gracefully.  _ Ah ha! Easy! _ I straddled the wall thrust my arms downward, deciding to erect a ramp which allowed me to slide down. * _ Whoshhhh _ *. The wind was audible in my ears until the end of the curved slide. I hopped off and made the structure disappear back into the earth before the next person was about to leap from the wall.

I noticed I was in the middle of the pack and saw that the following task was to hit some targets. The majority were human sized, but there were multiple pillars with smaller targets on top. I could see Gao hurl a rock at his last target and hit it, as the person in front of me began his run. He sent all three of his strikes at the human sized targets, hitting each with ease.  _ Gotta change it up _ .

I took a deep breath when it was my turn and stomped into the ground, sending two rocks flying towards their targets with a kick. The first broke through the red circle and the second did shortly after, creating dust as the rocks smashed into each other. I raised a smaller rock into the air, clenched my fist to condense it, and honed my focus on the top of the pillar.

As I released my breath I punched the sphere into the air and it tumbled end over end, scraping into the target.  _ Hell yeah!  _ I smirked and hoped it would win me a bonus with the Chief, realizing no one had hit within the circles on the pillar yet. Some had tried but you could see the indents were just shy, taking chunks out of the pillars.

Up ahead I could tell the next obstacle was a large set of monkey bars in the shape of a pitched roof. Several people were on them as I kept my legs churning, keeping a good pace. There were some swinging and others walking on top. A black haired man was jumping off, clearly showing that he could conquer this course.  _Two can play at that game_.

I chose to go for speed now, so I could remain in the top 5 of the group. I jumped up and grabbed onto the first bar with both hands, swinging myself a couple times to gain momentum. I alternated the arm I extended to grab onto the next bar until I got to the peak.  _ Whooh my hands burn _ _._ Contracting my core I swung up my legs and wrapped them around the bars, pulling myself into a standing position.  _ Much better. _ I walked along the side slab and hopped off with ease once I reached the bottom of the bars.

Whispy hairs were waving in my eyes so I brushed the loose strands out of my face with my hand. I glanced back,  _Nice I passed two people at the bars_. There was a guy in a red shirt struggling on the bars, arms shaking as his hands were noticeably slipping.  _ Poor guy. _

I started to run, not knowing how many obstacles were up ahead. I could see a familiar man up ahead and willed my legs to move a little faster. I caught up to Gao and was running beside him looking at the rough wall in front of us. I flashed a smile at him and she grinned back as we approached the menacing wall. Three people clung onto it grabbing onto the protruding edges as if they were rock climbing. One guy’s left hand slipped, sending him tumbling down from halfway up the wall.  _ Ooof that’s rough. _ He landed on his back and stood up brushing off the dirt with a scowl, before starting over. The woman ahead made a big leap to her right, just shy of the top.  _ Impressive .  _ _My hands might be too slippery for that._

I motioned my hands behind me and bent a pillar on an angle and kicked off of it. I launched through the air landing next to the woman, digging my hands into the rock to stabilize myself. “Ahhhh!” the girl yelped at the surprise of my sudden appearance. Suddenly, I saw a rock coming right at me, but I had no where to go. I turned my head to try and avoid it but it came crashing into my face.  _ Shit _ . I let go of the wall in an attempt to reach for the burning pain in my nose, but began to fall down.  _ Oh no! _ I flailed my arms before punching out on instinct, and bent a horizontal slab catching myself against the wall. My body slammed into the slab causing a slight groan to escape my lips.

“I’m so sorry!” The girl shouted from the top.

“That’s alright,” I replied wiping the fresh blood off of my upper lip with the back of my hand. I shook my head and took a deep breath.  _ You’re almost there. _ Regaining my bearings I thrust my hands back into the wall, as the man who fell before passed me. With one last stretch of my right arm I pulled myself up and swung my legs over the top. A slight breeze could be felt while perched on the edge.

The blood began to drip into my mouth and I could taste the metallic substance. I spit it onto the ground and sniffled as if that would help slow down the flow.  _ Gross _ . While I was on top I quickly took in my surroundings. I couldn’t see any more obstacles and there was a guy bent over at what appeared to be the end.  _ This should be it, looks like he just finished . _

I glanced towards the Chief and she briefly made eye contact with me, before turning away quickly whispering to the other woman.  Hmm . I jumped down into a roll, and pushed off the ground immediately breaking into a run.  _ I won’t let this distract me _ _._ I kept my head straight and felt my legs begin to burn. The blood seemed to have dried on my face, feeling slightly sticky and cold. Taking my final steps, I slowed down after passing a line in the ground, indicating that the course was complete.

I inhaled deeply and did my best to slow down my heart rate quickly.  Not bad so far . I looked around trying to count how many people finished before me.  _1...2...3 dudes... I guess I was 4th, cool!_ I saw the tall man move from his position and begin walking towards my direction. I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder, turning me around.

I met Gao’s brown eyes. “Are you alright? Looks like you took quite a hit up there,” he stated.

“Yeah could’ve been worse, I still finished before you,” I joked lightly punching his arm.

“Hey Riu, why don’t you go clean up before we do some sparring,” the man suggested. I looked down and my shirt and realized I had gotten a lot of my blood on it. I walked over to the water fountain and turned it on, cupping my hands together to gather water. I moved it towards my nose and worked on wiping off the crusted blood. I did my best looking in the metal reflection of the fountain.  _ Should be good enough. _ I took a drink and headed back towards the crowd.

We got a short five minute break after the last person had crossed the line, so I walked around trying to stay loose. The sun was starting to beat down on us, and I broke into a cool sweat.

“Alright guys come to this side, girls go to that side,” the man called out. I walked over to my left joining the other girls and sized up my competition. For the most part they were normal builds, except for one stocky girl in a black shirt. There was one short girl around 5 foot, but height doesn’t usually matter.

Faintly I could hear the Chief speaking to the man, “Saikhan, pair them up evenly. Although there appears to be 7 girls...”

Saikhan looked towards the group and shouted “any of you willing to volunteer yourselves to go up against one of the guys?”

The women exchanged looks, uncertain if they should speak up. “I will, sir,” I stated as I raised my hand in the air. I immediately feared I’d regret my decision.

“Very well,” he smirked, “ why don’t you stand over there,” he pointed.

“I’ll pair you up with a partner and 2 pairs will spar at a time. No bending, hand to hand combat only! Got it?”

A collective “yes, sir!” arose from the prospects. Everyone was left behind the building in the shade, as 4 people were called to come around to the field. Grunts and feet shuffling could be heard, indicating that they had begun. After a few minutes, one guy came around the corner with a bloody lip and the other seemed untouched. He had a sheepish grin on his face, as he wiped the blood away.

“Stop,” Saikhan commanded. Not long after the second pair came back, and both men had ruffled hair. They were smirking so I thought maybe they were friends, or maybe it was called a draw.

“Ok the next pairs will be Hong and Ping, and Riu and Lee.” I got a little nervous waiting for the men to stand up, so I could see who my opponent was. I squinted so I could read everyone shirts, “ _ LEE _ ” was written sloppily on tape on a black shirt. I followed it up and observed his face. He had a scowl, seemed to be a couple inches taller than me, and definitely had some muscle.  _ Oh man. _

The four of us walked towards the field which was right in front of the Chief and the lady in white. I made sure to quickly choose the side that allowed my back to face Chief Beifong, to eliminate that distraction. Lee followed and got into his stance. He looked pretty intimidating, I knew I had to figure out an angle on him, and fast.

“Begin.” We circled around waiting to see who would strike first, while the others didn’t waste time. You could hear the grunts of someone landing punches but I didn’t dare move my eyes. I inched closer to Lee and lowered one arm for a moment, drawing an attack. I ducked under the fist as it came flying towards me, and pushed his arm away. He flashed me a toothy grin and unleashed a combination of punches and kicks in my direction.

Watching each limb carefully, I deflected his right arm, then his left. I quickly looked down and noticed he was about to sweep my leg, but I jumped back to avoid it. A few minutes passed with us alternating attacks, neither gaining a direct hit. I had come close once, and Lee had grazed my side at one point. Finally, I landed a kick just above his hip and he came back quickly with a punch, but I closed my shoulders taking it off the outside of my arm.

Lee grunted, appearing to grow more annoyed that he’d been unsuccessful so far. He was starting to breathe heavily and settle on his feet.  _ Now’s my chance. _ I drew back my right fist and released a jab that was easily dodged. I repeated the jabs and closed in on him as fast as I could, forcing him to back up. As the jabs came rapidly, Lee seemed to grow unsteady on his feet and I got very low. I extended my leg and swept behind his feet, placing my hand on his chest in one quick motion. The man came tumbling down, landing on his back which kicked up some dirt. 

“Riu wins,” Saikhan spoke with a surprised look on his face. Lee looked pissed but I reached my hand out offering to help him up. He swatted it away, his knuckles hitting against mine, and got up under his own power. Hong and Ping were already back under the shade, and Hong seemed to have the beginning of a black eye forming.

I looked for Gao, but didn’t see him so I concluded that he must’ve been in the next group. When he and his partner were done, they both came back appearing to be unscathed.

“So, how’d you do,” I asked.

“Ehh alright, I got the win though. You?” he replied with a smile.

“Same, I got the takedown on that guy.” I couldn’t help but smile.

“There you go!”

Gao and I went to get a drink from the fountain near the locker rooms. It was quite refreshing after sparring, and with the sun shining in the sky. The bushes rustled with the breeze that came every few minutes. We sat against the building when we returned and saw the final groups go out. It was the stocky girl against someone my size, and 2 built guys.

“I’ve got my money on the guy in the blue,” Gao bet.

“Hmm we’ll see. Could depend on who’s more strategic,” I observed. Twirling a rock with my hand, we all eagerly listened to the sounds of the fights. You could hear the whiffs of missed punches, some landing, lots of grunts, and... a scream?

We all perked up, curious about what happened. One girl walked back confidently and sat down with the rest of us. You could hear mumbling from the other side of the wall, and the stocky girl had a cut above her eyebrow that was bleeding into her eye.  _ Ooof that’s not good _ _._ She dragged her feet heading back to the locker room and returned after grabbing a cloth to stop the bleeding.

The boys came around the corner laughing with each other, complementing their fighting skills. We started to chatter as we awaited further instructions. Saikhan waltzed with a bounce in his step, heading towards us.

“I’ll allow the Chief to share the news.”

She stood up, sun shining off of her armor. She put her hands behind her back and took a step forward. Her stoic face switched into a frown as she spoke. “Many of you were pathetic today. Spirits, I can’t believe this is the class they sent to my city,” she shook her head. I was shocked to hear the disappointment in her voice, and everyone was in a deafening silence.

“With that being said, I feel only a few of you have earned your spot. We’ll be doing one final test to establish the rest. She made her way down the stairs, intimidating us with each step. She appeared directly in front of us and began to pace back and forth. “You... you...and you,” she pointed, “you’re safe. Hit the showers” The three men scrambled to their feet and ran off into the tall building.

“Kozu, Wan, Huang.... and you four on the side..” I gulped at her pause as she pointed at the girl next to me. “I’m embarrassed for you all! Get out of my sight, and don’t come back!” I heard a sniffle and those seven got up from the ground. Some walked with their heads hung low and two others ran away from the station, heading home.  _ Shit now I’m scared . _

She took her steps with meaning, clearly enjoying scaring the crap out of everyone. She took three steps. Four more. Her steps grew louder and louder. One more step. And she was right in front of me. * _ Gulp _ *

“You,” she looked at me with an absence of expression. I met her green eyes, which were burning as they gazed into mine.  _ Shit shit shit _ . “Go get a clean shirt. Get ready for the next task. Try to keep your blood in your body this time,” she spat. My cheeks were burning red. The anxious knot in my stomach began to untie itself as I realized I wasn’t being sent home yet. 

“Yes ma’am,” I replied confidently. I let out a sigh of relief and walked towards the sign in desk. The box of shirts was still under the table so I grabbed one and quickly changed into it with my back facing everyone. I suddenly heard the Chief shouting, telling two more people they were a disgrace.  _ Lee, oh spirits _ _.I wonder if that’s my fault._ He was fuming and punched the ground, creating a large crack.

Chief Beifong closed it as Lee stood up and disappeared into the distance. “Idiot,” she mumbled. “Now that I’ve eliminated the complete failures, there’s 18 of you left here. You’ll be competing for the last 12 spots.” She turned back around marching up the stairs, back to her seat.  _ It’s within reach. I can do it. _


	4. Rookies

Asoku’s POV

We all stood in the shade trying to listen to what the Chief and Saikhan were discussing. They were deciding on the final task to eliminate the last 6 people. _12 spots left, 18 standing. Not bad._

I looked at the sky and took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves once again. Beifong had scared most of us when she yelled at the others as she kicked them out of the program. “Alright,” she shouted, “you’ll be in pairs for this, so grab a partner. I don’t care who.”   
  
Everybody immediately looked toward who was next to them and tried to pair up that way. Some girls seemed to intentionally seek each other out, as I walked towards Gao. 

“I’m not sure what she has planned,” he stated shrugging his shoulders. 

“I don’t think anyone does,” I laughed, “but do you want to be partners?”

”Yeah, sure. I just hope she doesn’t make us fight each other,” Gao explained rubbing the back of his neck.

”If she does we’ll just do our best, no offense taken,” I smiled. 

Gao nodded at me in agreement as Saikhan began to speak. “I see you’re all paired up. Good, the final task will test your teamwork skills.” A groan could be heard from the bad of the group, earning a disapproving look from the Chief.   
  
“You’ll be doing another obstacle course, but this time in pairs. You’ll be handcuffed with your partner, meaning you’ll have to rely on each other. NO bending this run”

“This should be interesting,” I whispered to Gao.   
  
Saikhan instructed everyone to line up as he came around, handcuffing everyone together. 

“So do you have a preference as to which hand you want to be free?”

”I mean I’m a righty but I’m fine with either,” Gao stated. 

“Ok, whichever way he cuffs us then. I don’t care which arm I have to use.”

Two guys were already starting to argue over who would be leading and who’d give instructions on the course. I shook my head knowing Beifong was probably scowling in their direction. Annnnd I was right. 

Saikhan cuffed Gao’s left hand and placed the other half over my right wrist, locking it into place. _Here we go_. I suddenly realized we didn’t talk about a strategy, but Saikhan was cuffing the last group. 

“Ok, so we’ll try to keep at the same pace and we’ll alternate arms as needed?” I blurted out.

”Yeah one obstacle at a time, we’ll adjust as needed.”

Rumbling could be heard and I looked up at Chief Beifong, who was gracefully bending. I assumed she was changing the obstacle course, and then she sat down giving a slight nod to Saikhan.

* _Bonnngg_ * We started with a light jog working up to a steady pace as we approached a tall wall with small rocks sticking out. We’d clearly have to rock climb, but it would be a challenge attached to someone else. 

“We’ll try and go as straight as possible,” Gao informed me. Instinctively, I attempted to reach out with my right arm being reminded that I was handcuffed. 

“We’ll do outside arms, then our inside arms in a steady pace. We don’t need to rush. Sound good?” I asked. 

“Yeah perfect.”

I grabbed the first rock with my left hand and Gao did the same with his right. 

“With the middle are we both grabbing on?”

”If we can fit both hands, if not I’ll do it.” We were both able to grab onto this rock and pulled up simultaneously, setting our feet on rocks on the wall. Again we reached with our outside arms and he secured the inside since this one was smaller. Up we went.   
  
We got into a rhythm. _Outside, inside, up, feet._ Some pairs slipped, and others started to argue. “I SAID LEFT,” a man shouted in frustration. “Ok, ok,” his partner apologized. _I am sooo glad I got to choose Gao_. We were almost at the top, maybe 2 more to go. 

Gao reached with our arms but couldn’t seem to grasp the rock. “Just you this time, my hands too big.” I wrapped my hand around it securely. “Got it. Up on 3. 1, 2, 3!” I pulled up with both arms and Gao seems to grimace, likely nervous that he was only holding on with one arm. I could see sweat dripping from his brow.   
  
”Ahhhh!” a group shouted. The two women fell to the ground with grunts, frustrated that they had to start over. “I told you not to get in my path” the taller one said through gritted teeth. At the same time, a pair of guys leaped off the top of the wall, likely going to the next obstacle. _One more and then we’re down_. We lifted ourselves up and wrapped our hands around the top of the wall, pulling ourselves into a sitting position. 

“Jump on my count into a forward roll?” Gao questioned. 

“Yeah. Guess that’s our best bet,” I stated hesitantly. 

“1, 2, 3!” We pushed ourselves off and I saw the ground approaching quickly as we fell down. As soon as our feet hit, we leaned forward successfully into a roll. A little disoriented from the dust, I got up slowly once I felt the tug on my wrist. Surveying the field in front of us, there were no other obstacles. As soon as we realized that fact, we broke into a sprint. _Wow that’s it?_ It took us a few seconds to sync up with his legs being longer than mine, but we managed. _Left, right, left, right_. I kept thinking to keep my timing until we got to the end. 

Gao and I were the second pair to finish, and Saikhan was there to greet us by taking off the handcuffs. _Ooof don’t wanna spend a lot of time in those_. I rubbed my wrist noticing a couple marks. 

“Nice job,” I smiled excitedly over at Gao.

”You too!” He sat down in the shade again and I walked towards the water fountain. I pressed the button and took a few sips, and was met with a pair of green eyes when I turned around. Harsh brown eyes. Scanning up and down I realized it was the guy who was yelling at his partner. I stepped out of his way and started to snicker on my way back to the group.   
  
Everyone was sitting down near their partners waiting to hear from the Chief. I mindlessly drew circles in the dirt with my finger in front of me until someone cleared their throat. 

“Some of you clearly need to work on your communications skills, but not here,” she paced in front of us again. “You two ladies... and you boys over there,” she pointed at the groups that were arguing during the test. _Ohh man here it comes_. 

“Leave,” she stated flatly. Three of them got up disappointed and went to retrieve their stuff from the locker rooms. 

“I said leave, Zheng,” she stated through gritted teeth with her back turned. 

“But-“

”Now!”

”I’m not leaving because my partner-“

”ENOUGH,” she boomed, “I do not TOLERATE whining and insubordination in my ranks,” she spat. I flinched where I was seated, but quickly regained my composure. Zheng finally stood up, face red as a tomato, and stormed off mumbling. _14 remaining_. 

“And the last two to leave...hmm.. you in the black, anddd... you in the grey pants.” _Wow I don’t think they were in the same group_. The final two walked away, the rest of us letting out a sigh of relief. 

“Alright _rookies_ , hit the showers and get some rest. Orientation is at 8 tomorrow morning. Don’t be late.” With that final remark she spun on her heel and disappeared through the doors of the station. 

I felt a smile creep up onto my face and I looked down to try and hide it. 

“You’re all dismissed. You may shower here if you please, have a good evening,” Saikhan said. I stood up and gave Gao a big smile. “We did it!” I shouted and gave him a hug. 

“Looks like we’ll be seeing each other around,” he grinned, “I’m gonna head home, you staying?”

”Yeah I’m going to the showers first, plus I have my stuff in the locker room.”

”See ya tomorrow.”

”See ya.” I pushed open the door to the locker room and walked back to the bench when I had laid out my clothes. I could hear the water running and someone walked in shortly after me. There were a few towels stacked on the counter and I grabbed one on my way to the showers. I chose the one in the corner and turned on the water as I began to strip and wrapped myself in the towel. 

Reaching in, the water felt warm enough and I stepped in throwing the white towel over the door. _Ahhh finally_. The hot water helped my muscles loosen near my neck and the steam felt good on my face. I quickly scrubbed the dirt off of my body before turning the knob to the “Off” position, and patting myself dry. 

Once I was dry enough I put my pants back on before my shirt. Next I put on my socks, then my nice shoes and I was ready for the walk home. I slung my backpack over my shoulder once again and walked towards the market, sun shining down through the white clouds. _Republic City, here I come._


End file.
